Method for producing pattern effects in fabrics



Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,660,042 PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN MllLLER, OF HERTSAU, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM AKTIEN- GESELLSCHAFT CILANDER, OF HERISAU. SWITZERLAND.

METHOD FOR PRODUCING PATTERN EFFECTS IN FABRICS.

No Drawing. Application filed February 25,- 1926, Serial No. 90,706. and in Germany January 20, 1926.

Pattern effects in the texture of fabrics are as a rule produced by embroidering smooth fabrics or by weaving so-called effect-yarns into certain parts of the fabric during the manufacture of the latter. It has also been proposed to obtain a pattern effect by carbonizing the cotton by means of an acid in certain parts of mixed fabrics.

It has now been found that pattern effects in the texture of mixed fabrics composed of animal fibres (for instance silk) and of veg etable fibres (for instance cotton) may be produced if such fabrics are treated inv certain places with such alkalis which only del5 stroy the animal fibres of the mixed fabric but notthe vegetable fibres. In this manner the destruction of the animal fibres in certain places produces pattern effects in the texture of mixed fabrics, inasmuchv as in those parts in which the animal fibres have been destroyed and removed only the vegetable fibres remain, whilst in the other parts the vegetable as well as the animal fibres are still present.

The manner in which the two different fibres are arranged in the texture of the fabllC is of no principal importancefor producing pattern effects; the animal fibres may be contained in the warp threads and the 30 vegetable fibres in theweft threads or vice versa or both may be contained in the warp as well as in the-weft threads.

The character of the produced efi'ect, however, depends on the arrangement of the two different fibres and on-their binding in the fabric as well as on the pattern which has been printed on the fabric with an alkali.

By previous or subsequent dyeing of the mixed fabrics or by a simple bleaching or by printing the fabric with colours or by mordanting or like measures the most varied colour combinations may be obtained. The invention is not restricted to the use of} fabric composed of one sort of vegetable fibres and one kind of animal fibres, fabrics may be treated which are composed of mixtures of several vegetable and animal fibres.

Example.

the silk threads destroyed by it are removed by washing, whereby parts in the fabric are formed which do no longer contain silk and other parts in which silk is still present. The latter parts form the patterns in the texture of the fabric.

On the other hand, according to the character of the designs which are utilized when printing with alkali pattern effects in the texture of a fabric may also be obtained with which those parts of the fabric produce the pattern effect in which the silk has been removed by mordanting whilst the other parts, of the fabric in which silk as well as cotton are still present form the ground.

On such a fabric provided with patterns the most varied colour combinations may be obtained by utilizing special dyes for vegetable and animal fibres whereby only one kind of fibres or both are dyed.

I claim:

1. A method for producing pattern effects in the texture of fabrics, which consists in printing a pattern on a. mixed fabric of warp and weft threads only composed of animal and vegetable fibres by means of an alkaline paste, steaming the printed fabric, and washing it thereafter thereby producingthe same pattern on both sides of the fabric in the original weave.

2. A method of producing pattern effects in woven fabrics of animal and vegetable threads composed of untreated warp and weft threads only, which comprises printing a pattern on such a smooth fabric irrespective of any thread arrangement of the fab ric, with an agent destructive of one type of threads, and washing out the said agent and the portions of the threads destroyed thereby producing the same pattern on both sides of the fabric in the original weave.

3. A method of producing pattern effects in woven -fabrics composed of untreated warp and weft threads only, one set of threads being of animal origin and the other set of threads of vegetable origin, which comprises printing a pattern on such fabric with a substance that destroys one type of threads and not the other type of threads,

and washing out said substance and the destroyed portions of the threads thereby producing the same pattern on both sides of the fabric in the original weave.

4. A method of producing pattern efi'ects in woven fabrics having warp and weft threads only, said fabric having threads of animal origin and threads of vegetable origin, comprising printing on one face of said fabric a pattern with a substance for destroying one kind of threads while leaving the other kind of threads, said substance and pattern being applied to the fabric irrespec- 

